Help with 5 month old?!

[Thomasjames2007]

Ladies

I need some help re my 5 month old. He is a great sleeper 7-6 but takes 3 very short (30 mins max) naps during the day.

I'm finding that I'm getting NOTHING done around the house. I'm working a couple of hours from home and have to get my mum round to cover. It's just that DS seems to need constant attention and screams/cries if I'm doing much else. I don't always get out of the house everyday as he really takes up so much time I find it really difficult to get ready if I don't have cover.

So my questions are:

1. Is this a phase will it pass?
2. Have I done something wrong? How can I fix it?
3. Or is he just demanding and I'm stuck with it?

Thanks

1. It will more than likely pass yes. It is difficult to predict when, some children settle within a few months of being born, others have disrupted sleep for years.

1. I very much doubt it. The only way your little angel can communicate is by crying, so that's what it does when it wants anything.

1. Probably yeah. However, in my experience, demanding children grow up to be inquisitive ones. Perhaps you have a bright baby that just wants stimulation?

Babies, who'd have them? Me for one, more than worth all the effort.

DH works on shifts so will be around 5 days a week (not the same days) Mum will fill in the blanks - I'll be 830-5.30 M-F.

Best not to get into DH's attitude tbh - I agree he knew this was coming but I guess knowing and doing are two different things.

I know I'm lucky re sleeping at night - please don't think I'm not counting my blessings I do know I'm lucky I just don't want Mum most of all to feel like she is struggling so trying to sort now.

Sleeping all night and three naps a day makes you very bloody lucky!

They go through lots of phases, they pass and another starts!

There isn't anything to fix, he is just a normal baby. All babies are demanding, they don't know what they are doing of course.

I have an almost 5 month old who rarely naps during the day. His current pattern of sleep at night (if I can get him to sleep with his 1.5 hour bath/feed/white noise routine) is 10.30-1.30 and then 1 hour awake then 2 hours asleep over and over until around 9am.

I really wish my baby slept like yours. If he does nap during the day I'm generally way to tired to get anything done as he's been like this (or worse) since birth. If you have stuff to do could you not do it at 7.00 when he goes to bed?

I feel your pain. ds2 is the same age as your ds but doesn't sleep as well at night but completely the same as your ds with napping. throw into that a rather hyper 3 year old. Some days I want to pull my hair out.

I agree with the activity station ir jumperoo. ds2 got very frustrated with lying on his gym mat and I felt was spending to much time in his bouncer which he is now also getting bored with so we have set hin into the walker with the activity tray. he is a lot more content for a longer period and the last few days has napped longer.

im hoping once he gets more active and crawling he'll become more settled.

You haven't done anything wrong except expect more from your baby.

Your baby sounds normal tbh (lucky you with the sleeping!) . There are more chilled babies out there (1 out of 3 of mine could be put down) but they are the exception rather than the rule.

My chilled out baby became a high maintenance toddler and my clingiest baby became a chilled out toddler and child so don't worry that you've done something wrong.

With my "normal" babies slings were a godsend. I had a stretchy one and kept my sons in them pretty much every working hour. It really soothed them and allowed me to have 2 free hands to get on with other stuff like dealing with siblings.

It doesn't sound like you need to worry if you don't get hw done in the day, as you can do it at 7pm.
I carried mine in a sling whenever they cried when awake and just got on with my chores.

DS is 11 months, sleeps all night & im lucky if he sleeps an hr though the day - he just doesn't seem to need it,

Easy to say do things when they go down at night but by that stage im knackerd having not had any respite & the hoover would wake him. And I usually start dinner (DH works long shifts).

The days I'm at work genuinely feel like a rest!

Basically I can only do housework, Internet banking etc if some one else takes him a walk or minds him an hr or two.it is what it is & I don't beat myself up over anything.saying that I can get things done quickly ie I clean bathroom While DS is in bath & just try to be time efficient generally!

Basically I can only do housework, Internet banking etc if some one else takes him a walk or minds him

I really don't want to sound harsh but I really find this attitude from some parents really hard to understand...The whole concept of not being able to do anything if you are alone with your baby and they are awake. How on earth do you think those with more than one child cope? Or those who don't have willing babysitters on tap 24/7! And before anyone says it, yes I do know what it's like to have a clingy baby!

Former it is exactly what puts me off having another!
It's not actually an attitude though it's a fact. I can't concentrate on ain if he is crying & screaming & neither can o do housework but as I said I do minutes here & there so the place is never untidy or unclean.

How is he if you sit him in buggy? My 5 month old gets unhappy on floor after a bit but will happily sit in buggy with a teething toy in the same room as me for quite a while.

If you're not already, try fully darkening DS' room when he's in for naps - tinfoil on the window will darken it properly. At 4 months it took my twins from napping 20 mins at a time to napping 1-2hours.

Needing constant interaction while awake though, that sounds like a fairly average 5 month old. Some of them are really placid and will play away alone for a long while but others need constant input. (I got one of each thank god).

I agree Grey When DS is screaming it's hard to see straight never mind attempting to clean the oven at the same time.

I'm probably being a wimp but I find it hard to plough on with the washing when he is sitting there upset and wants picked up.

I rotate time on his mat/walker/bouncer/pram/bumbo. I had a sling and then moved to one of the more supportive baby carrier things tho it murders my back which has been a bit dodgy after being pregnant. He does love being carried.

Pesky - he isn't keen on the pram at all I haven't a clue why!

And yes I'll totally admit that I do find it difficult hard combining working from home/keeping house and having a baby. I'll not even consider having another for a long time. I take my hat off to those mummies who have little ones close together but it's just not for me - I now know my limits.